Political Cartographies in Aquarius

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Tom Winterbottom

Abstract

The premiere of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s film Aquarius coincided with the beginning of impeachment processes against former president Dilma Rousseff, spurring the filmmaking team to voice their opinions on the Cannes red carpet and in subsequent public discourse. In the following months the film became an important point of reference on the cultural landscape of Brazil, snubbed for selection for the Oscars, and involved in a debate over censorship. By first studying the content and cinematic techniques employed in telling the intimate story of contested space in the historic seafront building that is the film’s subject, and then analyzing the film and its reception as a cultural object at a certain political moment in Brazil during which time the film garnered significant attention and meaning beyond what is presented on screen, this article explores the deep politicization and extensive political cartography of Aquarius.